Care at home for elderly couples

Thursday 12th, May 2011 |
Blog

Couples who reach an elderly age together are in a fortunate position and one where the expectation is to be able to enjoy their senior years together, relaxing, enjoying each other’s company and taking pleasure in the pastimes they have always wanted to enjoy.

However, this is not always possible when it becomes apparent that one or both partners require care because of frailty, immobility or illness, sometime illnesses that can be very complex and challenging including dementia, Parkinson’s or the after-effects of a stroke.

The good news is that care at home can be a great source of help, comfort and reassurance in these types of situations – whether this is live-in care or daily home care.

Sole carer

One in eight adults in the UK are caring for a family member, and around of sixth of these provide more than 50 hours of care a week, according to the charity Carers UK. The strain on the caring partner can be immense and is heightened when the carer is one of an elderly couple who may have needs of their own that are being put aside in order to care for their partner.

Elderly people who are caring for their partners often find the demands placed on them to be physically and mentally straining. They carry out duties that they no longer have the strength for, including heavy lifting and more cumbersome domestic tasks.

Enlisting the services of a home carer can relieve this strain. The couple can return to being loving partners instead of having to take on the roles of carer/cared-for partners.

No need to leave home

In many cases, both partners require care, and usually that entails different types and levels of care. One common way of dealing with this is to place the couple into a residential home, if their needs are similar, or to leave one partner living at home whilst another goes into residential care, if their needs are at different levels. This solution is unsatisfactory for many reasons, especially if it entails splitting a couple up or forcing them to leave the family home which provides a family and stable environment.

Home care offers a cost effective alternative in such circumstances. High-quality home carers are trained to look after couples with differing needs, so there is no need for either partner to leave the other one for residential care, so they are able to continue being loving partners.

What home care companies offer

Home care is attuned to the precise needs of the individual. The range of support provided by home care companies may cover medication management, monitoring overall health, liaising with GPs and other healthcare professionals, cooking, light household duties, assistance with washing and dressing, and organising outings. It’s possible to hire a home carer for anything from a number of hours a day to round-the-clock 24 hour live-in care.

Most importantly of all, care at home enables a couple to enjoy a contented and cared-for life together, which promotes overall health and wellbeing for both individuals.